Spiro launches Women in E-Mobility programme in Rwanda

Spiro, an electric mobility company operating across Africa, and Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP), a pan-African firm specialising in entrepreneurship development, have launched the Women in E-Mobility programme in Rwanda to help women become professional electric motorcycle riders, establish businesses and generate sustainable income.

The programme began in October 2026, with the first 50 women starting training as part of a pilot initiative targeting 500 participants in Rwanda. The partners plan to expand the programme to other African markets, aiming to reach 5,000 women by 2030.

The initiative seeks to address the underrepresentation of women in Africa’s motorcycle-based transport, delivery and logistics sectors. In Rwanda, women account for just 4% of transport workers. However, a 2025 study in Kigali found that 47.7% of women surveyed would consider working as motorcycle taxi drivers, indicating potential for greater participation.

Spiro aims to ensure women can benefit from the economic opportunities created by the growth of electric mobility across Africa.

The programme will provide participants with practical motorcycle riding and road safety training, financial literacy, digital skills and entrepreneurship support. It will also offer access to affordable financing options, including lease-to-own arrangements, enabling women to acquire Spiro electric motorcycles and use its battery-swapping network.

In addition to training and vehicle access, participants will be connected with ride-hailing, delivery and logistics platforms to help them secure customers and develop sustainable businesses.

Through the initiative, Spiro and ESP aim to expand women’s participation in electric mobility, create new income-generating opportunities and support the development of a more inclusive transport and logistics sector across Africa.

Anant Badjatya, Group CEO of Spiro, said, “Electric mobility is creating new economic opportunities across Africa, and we want more women to be part of this transformation. Through this programme, we are giving women the tools to become professional drivers, build their own businesses and generate income. Our ambition is to encourage a new generation of women entrepreneurs who will help shape the future of mobility on the continent.”

The initiative brings together Spiro’s electric mobility infrastructure and ESP’s entrepreneurship expertise to help women access financing, build skills and grow sustainable businesses.

Eric Kacou, Co-founder and CEO of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners, said, “For women entrepreneurs, having access to a motorcycle is only the first step. Building a successful business also requires skills, financing, customers, and ongoing support. By combining ESP’s entrepreneurship expertise with Spiro’s electric mobility ecosystem, we want to create practical and sustainable economic opportunities for women.”

Rwanda was chosen as the programme’s launch market due to its expanding electric mobility sector and Spiro’s established local operations, including motorcycle assembly facilities and a battery-swapping network.

The pilot will evaluate participants’ progress, income growth and business performance before the initiative expands to other African countries where Spiro operates between 2027 and 2030. To support this rollout, Spiro and ESP are seeking partnerships with development finance institutions, impact investors, governments and commercial organisations to improve access to funding, strengthen training and create more business opportunities.

Through the Women in E-Mobility programme, the partners aim to show how the shift towards cleaner transport can promote women’s entrepreneurship, generate employment and contribute to economic growth across Africa.